Sex and Death 101 [DVD] [2008] [English] [Region 1]

This amusing sex farce updates age-old concepts about love, sex, and hot lesbians. A new supercomputer (with vague ties to the afterlife) spits out random e-mails that tell when people will die, or in the case of suave, affluent groom-to-be Roderick Blank (Simon Baker), a list of all the girls he ever slept with and ever will sleep with. There's 70 he's never even met, and he's due to be married in 11 days! Naturally his wedding is off and Roderick goes gallivanting around the city, crossing off names and gradually realizing the pitfalls of empty one-nighters. Meanwhile the mysterious "Death Nell" (Winona Ryder) is seducing and destroying a stream of deserving louts, spray painting anguished poetry on their walls and creating a media sensation. These two are bound to cross paths, and when they finally do, comeuppance is in the cards, with a bloody vengeance. Director-screenwriter Daniel Waters (HEATHERS) delivers laughs from brows both low and high, with Baker revealing a flair for sophisticated comedy beneath his mellow scruff. The slew of actresses comprising "the list" turn in uniformly fine work, with Julie Bowen a standout as the hot but "just friends" gal pal. Still, it's all stolen in the ninth inning by the radiantly off-her-rocker Ryder as the girl men fall for, permanently; with her big eyes, dark hair and myriad tics she shines like a crazy beautiful diamond. The spot-on score is by Rolfe Kent (SIDEWAYS, ABOUT SCHMIDT).